Circuits and methods for heating batteries in series using resonance components in series

ABSTRACT

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a battery heating circuit, wherein: the battery comprises a first battery E 1  and a second battery E 2 , the heating circuit comprises a first switch unit  10 , a second switch unit  20 , a damping component R 1 , a damping component R 2 , a current storage component L 1 , a current storage component L 2 , a switching control module  100  and a charge storage component C; the first battery, the damping component R 1 , the current storage component L 1 , the first switch unit  10  and the charge storage component C are connected in series to form a first charging/discharging circuit; the second battery, the damping component R 2 , the current storage component L 2 , the charge storage component C and the second switch unit  20  are connected in series to form a second charging/discharging circuit.

1. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/189,114, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201010245288.0, filed Jul. 30, 2010, Chinese Patent Application No. 201010274785.3, filed Aug. 30, 2010, and Chinese Patent Application No. 201010604744.6, filed Dec. 23, 2010, all these four applications being incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

Additionally, this application is related to International Application Publication No. WO2010/145439A1 and Chinese Application Publication No. CN102055042A, both these two applications being incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to electric and electronic field, in particular related to a battery heating circuit.

Considering cars need to run under complex road conditions and environmental conditions or some electronic devices are used under harsh environmental conditions, the battery, which serves as the power supply unit for electric-motor cars or electronic devices, need to be adaptive to these complex conditions. In addition, besides these conditions, the service life and charge/discharge cycle performance of the battery need to be taken into consideration; especially, when electric-motor cars or electronic devices are used in low temperature environments, the battery needs to have outstanding low-temperature charge/discharge performance and higher input/output power performance.

Usually, under low temperature conditions, the resistance of the battery will increase, and so will the polarization; therefore, the capacity of the battery will be reduced.

To keep the capacity of the battery and improve the charge/discharge performance of the battery under low temperature conditions, some embodiments of the present invention provide a battery heating circuit.

3. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of certain embodiments of the present invention is to provide a battery heating circuit, in order to solve the problem of decreased capacity of the battery caused by increased resistance and polarization of the battery under low temperature conditions.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a battery heating circuit, wherein: the battery comprises a first battery and a second battery, the heating circuit comprises a first switch unit, a second switch unit, a damping component R1, a damping component R2, a current storage component L1, a current storage component L2, a switching control module and a charge storage component C; the first battery, the damping component R1, the current storage component L1, the first switch unit and the charge storage component C are connected in series to form a first charging/discharging circuit; the second battery, the damping component R2, the current storage component L2, the charge storage component C and the second switch unit are connected in series to form a second charging/discharging circuit; when the charge storage component C is charged or discharges, the direction of charging/discharging current in the second charging/discharging circuit is opposite to the direction of charging/discharging current in the first charging/discharging circuit; the switching control module is electrically connected with the first switch unit and second switch unit, and is configured to control the first switch unit and the second switch unit to switch on alternately, so as to control the electric energy to flow between the first battery, the charge storage component C and the second battery.

In the heating circuit provided in certain embodiments of the present invention, the first switch unit and the second switch unit can be controlled by the switching control module to switch on alternately, so that the electric energy can flow back-and-forth between the first battery, the charge storage component C and the second battery alternately, and thereby causes the damping component R1 and the damping component R2 to generate heat, so as to heat up the first battery and the second battery. For example, since the direction of charging/discharging current in the second charging/discharging circuit is opposite to the direction of charging/discharging current in the first charging/discharging circuit when viewed from the perspective of the charge storage component C, the energy that is transferred from the first battery into the charge storage component C can be transferred successfully to the second battery, so that the heating efficiency is improved.

In the heating circuit provided in certain embodiments of the present invention, the charge storage component is connected with the batteries in series; when the batteries are heated, safety problems related with failure or short circuit of the switch unit can be avoided due to the existence of the charge storage component, and therefore the batteries can be protected effectively.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be further described in detail in the following section for embodiments.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, as a part of this description, are provided here to facilitate further understanding of the present invention, and are used in conjunction with the following embodiments to explain the present invention, but shall not be comprehended as constituting any limitation on the present invention. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 3 according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 5 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the first switch unit and/or the second switch unit as part of the battery heating circuit as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 5 according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that the embodiments described here are only provided to describe and explain the present invention, but shall not be deemed as constituting any limitation on the present invention.

It is noted that, unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “switching control module” may refer to any controller that can output control commands (e.g., pulse waveforms) under preset conditions or at preset times and thereby control the switch unit connected to it to switch on or switch off accordingly, according to some embodiments. For example, the switching control module can be a PLC. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “switch” may refer to a switch that enables ON/OFF control by using electrical signals or enables ON/OFF control on the basis of the characteristics of the component according to certain embodiments. For example, the switch can be either a one-way switch (e.g., a switch composed of a two-way switch and a diode connected in series, which can be conductive in one direction) or a two-way switch (e.g., a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) or an IGBT with an anti-parallel freewheeling diode). Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “two-way switch” may refer to a switch that can be conductive in two directions, which can enable ON/OFF control by using electrical signals or enable ON/OFF control on the basis of the characteristics of the component according to some embodiments. For example, the two-way switch can be a MOSFET or an IGBT with an anti-parallel freewheeling diode. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “one-way semiconductor component” may refer to a semiconductor component that can be conductive in one direction, such as a diode, according to certain embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “charge storage component” may refer to any device that can enable charge storage, such as a capacitor, according to some embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “current storage component” may refer to any device that can store current, such as an inductor, according to certain embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “forward direction” may refer to the direction in which the energy flows from the battery to the energy storage circuit, and the term “reverse direction” may refer to the direction in which the energy flows from the energy storage circuit to the battery, according to some embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “battery” may comprise primary battery (e.g., dry battery or alkaline battery, etc.) and secondary battery (e.g., lithium-ion battery, nickel-cadmium battery, nickel-hydrogen battery, or lead-acid battery, etc.), according to certain embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “damping component” may refer to any device that inhibits current flow and thereby enables energy consumption, such as a resistor, etc., according to some embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, when mentioned hereafter in this description, the term “main loop” may refer to a loop composed of battery, damping component, switch unit and energy storage circuit connected in series according to certain embodiments.

It should be noted specially that, considering different types of batteries have different characteristics, in some embodiments of the present invention, “battery” may refer to an ideal battery that does not have internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance or has very low internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance, or may refer to a battery pack that has internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance; therefore, those skilled in the art should appreciate that if the battery is an ideal battery that does not have internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance or has very low internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance, the damping component R1 may refer to a damping component external to the battery and the current storage component L1 may refer to a current storage component external to the battery; if the battery is a battery pack that has internal parasitic resistance and parasitic inductance, the damping component R1 may refer to a damping component external to the battery or refer to the parasitic resistance in the battery pack, and the current storage component L1 may refer to a current storage component external to the battery or refer to the parasitic inductance in the battery pack, according to certain embodiments.

To ensure the normal service life of the battery, according to some embodiments, the battery can be heated under low temperature condition, which is to say, when the heating condition is met, the heating circuit is controlled to start heating for the battery; when the heating stop condition is met, the heating circuit is controlled to stop heating, according to certain embodiments.

In the actual application of battery, the battery heating condition and heating stop condition can be set according to the actual ambient conditions, to ensure normal charge/discharge performance of the battery, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention provides a battery heating circuit, wherein: the battery comprises a first battery E1 and a second battery E2, the heating circuit comprises a first switch unit 10, a second switch unit 20, a damping component R1, a damping component R2, a current storage component L1, a current storage component L2, a switching control module 100 and a charge storage component C; the first battery E1, damping component R1, current storage component L1, first switch unit 10 and charge storage component C are connected in series to form a first charging/discharging circuit; the second battery E2, damping component R2, current storage component L2, charge storage component C and second switch unit 20 are connected in series to form a second charging/discharging circuit; when the charge storage component C is charged or discharges, the direction of charging/discharging current in the second charging/discharging circuit is opposite to the direction of charging/discharging current in the first charging/discharging circuit; the switching control module 100 is electrically connected with the first switch unit 10 and second switch unit 20, and is configured to control the first switch unit 10 and second switch unit 20 to switch on alternately, so as to control the electric energy flow between the first battery E1, charge storage component C and second battery E2.

Wherein: the switching control module 100 can control the first switch unit 10 and second switch unit 20 to switch on or off, for example, the first switch unit 10 switches from ON state to OFF state, while the second switch unit 20 switches from OFF state to ON state, so that the electric energy stored in the charge storage component C from one battery can flow into the other battery. As the electric energy flows, current is generated; by keeping current flowing through the damping component R1 and damping component R2 continuously, the damping component R1 and damping component R2 generate heat, and thereby heat up the first battery E1 and second battery E2.

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Hereunder the working process of the heating circuit provided in one embodiment of the present invention will be described, with reference to FIG. 2. First, the switching control module 100 controls the first switch unit 10 to switch on, and controls the second switch unit 20 to switch off; the first battery E1, the damping component R1, the current storage component L1, the first switch unit 10 and the charge storage component C form a charging/discharging circuit, which performs charging/discharging operations (as indicated by the time periods t1˜t2 as shown in FIG. 2, wherein: the time period t1 represents the charging time period of the charging/discharging circuit; at the end of the time period t1, the capacitive voltage U_(C) of the charge storage component C is at the peak value of the positive half cycle, and the capacitive current I_(C) reaches zero after the positive half cycle; the time period t2 represents the discharging time period of the charging/discharging circuit). After a charging/discharging cycle is completed (at this point, the current k through the charge storage component C reaches zero after the negative half cycle), the switching control module 100 controls the first switch unit 10 to switch off, and controls the second switch unit 20 to switch on; the second battery E2, the damping component R2, the current storage component L2, the charge storage component C, and the second switch unit 20 form a charging/discharging circuit, which performs charging/discharging operations (as indicated by the time periods t3˜t4 as shown in FIG. 2, wherein: the time period t3 represents the charging time period of the charging/discharging circuit, while the time period t4 represents the discharging time period of the charging/discharging circuit). After the charging/discharging circuit completes a charging/discharging cycle (at this point, the current I_(C) through the charge storage component C reaches zero after the positive half cycle, and the entire heating circuit completes a complete working cycle), the switching control module 100 controls the first switch unit 10 to switch on and controls the switch unit 20 to switch off again; in that way, the cycles continue on, so that the current flows through the damping component R1 and the damping component R2 continuously; as a result, the damping component R1 and the damping component R2 generate heat, and thereby heat up the first battery E1 and the second battery E2 until the heating process is completed.

In the above working process of the heating circuit provided in certain embodiments of the present invention, the current can be kept flowing back-and-forth between the first battery E1 and the second battery E2, so that two batteries are heated up alternately, and therefore the heating efficiency is improved.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, the heating circuit provided in one embodiment of the present invention further comprises a current storage component L10 and a current storage component L20, wherein: the current storage component L10 is connected in series in the first charging/discharging circuit, and the current storage component L20 is connected in series in the second charging/discharging circuit. Thereby, the current storage component L10 and current storage component L20 can be utilized to implement current limiting for the capacitive current I_(C) (i.e., the current flow through the first and second batteries and the first and second switch units) in both directions, so as to decrease the magnitude of current flowing through the first and second batteries and the first and second switch units, and attain the purpose of protecting the first and second batteries and the first and second switch units.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 3 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, compared to the capacitive current I_(C) as shown in FIG. 2, the capacitive current I_(C) as shown in FIG. 4 has a smoother waveform, with a peak value and a valley value much smaller than the peak value and the valley value of the capacitive current I_(C) as shown in FIG. 2, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a battery heating circuit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 5, the heating circuit provided in one embodiment of the present invention can further comprise a current storage component L10, a current storage component L20, a one-way semiconductor component D1, a one-way semiconductor component D2, a one-way semiconductor component D10 and a one-way semiconductor component D20, wherein: the one-way semiconductor component D10 is connected in series with the first switch unit 10, the current storage component L10 and one-way semiconductor component D1 connected in series with each other are connected in parallel between the ends of the one-way semiconductor component D10 and first switch unit 10 connected in series with each other, so as to limit the current in the first charging/discharging circuit in reverse direction; and, the one-way semiconductor component D20 is connected in series with the second switch unit 20, and the current storage component L20 and one-way semiconductor component D2 connected in series with each other are connected in parallel between the ends of the one-way semiconductor component D20 and second switch unit 20 connected in series with each other, so as to limit the current in the second charging/discharging circuit in reverse direction. Thereby, the capacitive current (i.e., current flowing through the first battery E1 and second battery E2) is limited in one direction (i.e., current limiting during charging of the first battery E1 and second battery E2). Thus, compared to the heating circuit (two-way current limiting) in the second embodiment, the heating circuit here can further improve the heating efficiency on the premise of protecting the first and second batteries and the first and second switch units.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of waveforms of the heating circuit as shown in FIG. 5 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, compared to the capacitive current I_(C) as shown in FIG. 4, the capacitive current I_(C) as shown in FIG. 6 has a higher peak value in the positive half cycle.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the first switch unit and/or the second switch unit as part of the battery heating circuit as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 5 according to certain embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the first switch unit 10 and/or the second switch unit 20 can comprise a switch K11 and a one-way semiconductor component D11 connected in parallel with the switch K11 in reverse direction, wherein: the switching control module 100 is electrically connected with the switch K11, and is configured to control ON/OFF of the forward direction branches of the first switch unit 10 and/or the second switch unit 20 by controlling ON/OFF of the switch K11. The ON/OFF control of switch K11 can be performed in the grid zone as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 6. When or after the current flow through the first switch unit 10 or the second switch unit 20 reaches zero, the switching control module 100 can control the first switch unit 10 or second switch unit 20 to switch off.

The heating circuit provided in certain embodiments of the present invention has the following advantages:

(1) When viewed from the aspect of the charge storage component, the direction of the charging/discharging current in the second charging/discharging circuit is opposite to the direction of the charging/discharging current in the first charging/discharging circuit; therefore, the electric energy can flow back-and-forth between the first battery, the charge storage component and the second battery alternately, and thereby the resultant current causes the damping component R1 and the damping component R1 to generate heat, so that the first battery and the second battery are heated up; in that way, the first battery and the second battery are heated alternately, and the heating efficiency is high;

(2) Since the current storage component provides the current limiting function and only one charging/discharging circuit is formed in each time period, the current flowing through the first battery and the second battery and the current flowing through the first switch unit and the second switch unit are lower; in addition, due to the structure of the charging/discharging circuit and the existence of the current storage components L10 and L20, the current flowing through the first battery and the second battery and the current flowing through the first switch unit and the second switch unit can be further limited, so as to avoid damage to the batteries and the switch units resulted from large currents;

(3) With the one-way current limiting scheme, the discharging efficiency of the first battery and the second battery is improved, and the charging current in reverse direction is limited to prevent damage to the first battery and the second battery; therefore, the first battery and the second battery and the switch units are protected against damage, and the heating efficiency is improved; and/or

(4) In the heating circuit provided in some embodiments of the present invention, the charge storage component is connected with the batteries in series; when the batteries are heated, safety problems related with failure or short circuit of the switch units can be avoided due to the existence of the charge storage component, and therefore the batteries can be protected effectively.

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a battery heating circuit, wherein: the battery comprises a first battery E1 and a second battery E2, the heating circuit comprises a first switch unit 10, a second switch unit 20, a damping component R1, a damping component R2, a current storage component L1, a current storage component L2, a switching control module 100 and a charge storage component C; the first battery, the damping component R1, the current storage component L1, the first switch unit 10 and the charge storage component C are connected in series to form a first charging/discharging circuit; the second battery, the damping component R2, the current storage component L2, the charge storage component C and the second switch unit 20 are connected in series to form a second charging/discharging circuit; when the charge storage component C is charged or discharges, the direction of the charging/discharging current in the second charging/discharging circuit is opposite to the direction of the charging/discharging current in the first charging/discharging circuit; the switching control module 100 is electrically connected with the first switch unit 10 and the second switch unit 20, and is configured to control the electric energy flow between the first battery E1, the charge storage component C and the second battery E2. The battery heating circuit of certain embodiments of the present invention can achieve high heating efficiency.

For example, some or all components of various embodiments of the present invention each are, individually and/or in combination with at least another component, implemented using one or more software components, one or more hardware components, and/or one or more combinations of software and hardware components. In another example, some or all components of various embodiments of the present invention each are, individually and/or in combination with at least another component, implemented in one or more circuits, such as one or more analog circuits and/or one or more digital circuits.

While some embodiments of the present invention are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the details of those embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make modifications and variations, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. However, all these modifications and variations shall be deemed as falling into the scope of the present invention.

In addition, it should be noted that the specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any appropriate way, provided that there is no conflict. To avoid unnecessary repetition, certain possible combinations are not described specifically. Moreover, the different embodiments of the present invention can be combined as needed, as long as the combinations do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. However, such combinations shall also be deemed as falling into the scope of the present invention.

Hence, although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A circuit for heating a first battery and a second battery, the circuit comprising: the first battery including a first damping component and a first current storage component, the first damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the first battery; the second battery including a second damping component and a second current storage component, the second damping component and the second current storage component being parasitic to the second battery; a first switch unit; a second switch unit; a switching control component coupled to the first switch unit and the second switch unit; and a charge storage component; wherein: the first battery, the first switch unit, and the charge storage component are connected to form a first charging and discharging circuit; and the second battery, the second switch unit, and the charge storage component are connected to form a second charging and discharging circuit; wherein: the switching control component is configured to turn on the first switch unit and the second switch unit alternately so as to control a first current flowing between the first battery and the charge storage component and a second current flowing between the second battery and the charge storage component; and the circuit for heating the first battery and the second battery is configured to heat the first battery and the second battery by at least discharging the first battery and discharging the second battery.
 2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the circuit for heating the first battery and the second battery is further configured to charge the charge storage component with the first current flowing in a first direction and with the second current flowing in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being opposite to each other.
 3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein: the first damping component is a first parasitic resistor of the first battery; the first current storage component is a first parasitic inductor of the first battery; the second damping component is a second parasitic resistor of the second battery; and the second current storage component is a second parasitic inductor of the second battery.
 4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein the charge storage component is a capacitor.
 5. The circuit of claim 1 and further comprising: a third current storage component connected in series with the first battery and the first switch unit; and a fourth current storage component connected in series with the second battery and the second switch unit; wherein: the first charging and discharging circuit includes the third current storage component; and the second charging and discharging circuit includes the fourth current storage component.
 6. The circuit of claim 5 wherein each of the third current storage component and the fourth current storage component is an inductor.
 7. The circuit of claim 1 and further comprising: a first one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the first battery and the first switch unit; and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the second battery and the second switch unit.
 8. The circuit of claim 7 and further comprising: a third one-way semiconductor component; a third current storage component connected in series with the third one-way semiconductor component; a fourth one-way semiconductor component; and a fourth current storage component connected in series with the fourth one-way semiconductor component.
 9. The circuit of claim 8 wherein: a combination of the third one-way semiconductor component and the third current storage component is parallel to a combination of the first one-way semiconductor component and the first switch unit; and a combination of the fourth one-way semiconductor component and the fourth current storage component is parallel to a combination of the second one-way semiconductor component and the second switch unit.
 10. The circuit of claim 9 wherein: the third one-way semiconductor component and the third current storage component are configured to limit the first current if the first current flows from the charge storage component to the first battery; and the fourth one-way semiconductor component and the fourth current storage component are configured to limit the second current if the second current flows from the charge storage component to the second battery.
 11. The circuit of claim 8 wherein each of the third current storage component and the fourth current storage component is an inductor.
 12. The circuit of claim 1 wherein: the first switch unit includes a first switch and a first one-way semiconductor component connected in parallel with the first switch; and the switching control component is coupled to the first switch and configured to turn on and off the first switch respectively.
 13. The circuit of claim 12 wherein: the second switch unit includes a second switch and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in parallel with the second switch; and the switching control component is coupled to the second switch and configured to turn on and off the second switch respectively.
 14. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the switching control component is configured to, if the first current flowing from the charge storage component to the first battery becomes zero, turn off the first switch unit and turn on the second switch unit.
 15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the switching control component is configured to, if the second current flowing from the charge storage component to the second battery becomes zero, turn off the second switch unit and turn on the first switch unit.
 16. The circuit of claim 1 is further configured to: start heating the first battery and the second battery if at least one heating start condition is satisfied; and stop heating the first battery and the second battery if at least one heating stop condition is satisfied. 